Rob Christensen, political columnist for the Raleigh News & Observer was the special guest and featured speaker at the regular luncheon meeting of the Rocky Mount Rotary Club held at the Gateway Convention Centre on May 12.

Club president George Ramey presided while Rotarian and Senior Vice President of Southern Bank Russell Jackson provided the introduction.

Contributed photo (ENLARGE)

From left, Photo shows left to right, George Ramey, Rob Christensen and Russell Jackson

Christensen, who has worked for the N&O for 35 years, just released a new book, "The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics," published by the University of North Carolina Press.

He began his remark by noting the presence of former mayor and Honorary Rotarian Fred Turnage, who he characterized as North Carolina's finest mayor and one who would have been a great governor.

At the beginning of the 20th century, North Carolina was among the poorest of the Southern states yet by century's end it had become a world leader in banking, education and high-tech research. Christensen said that the three rivers of Tar Heel politics worked to balance sharply competing interests for the overall common good. He described these as business progressivism, cultural conservativism and populism. A long line of governors from both parties represented the business progressive philosophy, which enabled North Carolina to take the early lead in areas such as branch banking and the Research Triangle Park.

Christensen said that Italian dictator Mussolini, partly known for making the Italian trains run on time, sent his engineers to North Carolina in the early 1920s to study the road system which was then the model for the nation.

Politicians joined to-gether to support the building of an extensive community college system which has provided opportunity for students and promoted economic growth throughout the state.

North Carolina did not suffer the same level of racial unrest as many of its neighbors. While Alabama Gov. George Wallace was standing in the school house door to block minority admissions, Gov. Terry Sanford sent his children to integrated schools.

Looking ahead to the fall elections, he gave the edge to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and to U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to win in North Carolina.

Christensen said he felt that Mayor Pat McCrory has a good chance to win the race for governor after 16 straight years of Democratic rule; but he noted that Charlotte area politicians other than former Gov. Jim Martin have had limited statewide success.